Emergency Care

July 27, 2012 396 No of hits

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Most hospitals offer emergency care services to allow patients swift and efficient access to treatment in an emergency. Emergencies may include heart attacks, stroke, severe bleeding and other conditions that threaten life or limb. Emergency care is usually offered on a walk-in basis through a dedicated unit of the hospital known as the emergency room or ER.

Many ER's offer both Emergency Care and Urgent Care, but there is a growing trend toward separate facilities. In addition, insurance companies often have different payment policies for urgent care verses emergency care, so it is important for patients to understand the difference between the two.

Emergency care refers to the care that is necessary to save life or limb. If you suspect you are having a stroke or heart attack or if you are losing blood or have broken bone, you need emergency care. Certain symptoms always require emergency care in case they are a sign of a life threatening condition; these include chest pain, difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, convulsions and paralysis. Certain injuries and conditions are also considered emergent, meaning that they require emergency care. Emergent conditions include: poisoning, eye injury, severe back or spine injury and severe burns.

Many hospitals provide or contract with emergency transportation services such as ambulances and helicopters that can be dispatched to retrieve a patient who is suffering a medical emergency. Emergency transportation vehicles are equipped with medical equipment to care for the patient until a hospital or emergency care center is reached.

Urgent care still requires swift medical attention, usually within 24-hours, but is not threatening to life or limb. Conditions that may be considered urgent but not emergent may include headache, sprains, cuts, flu symptoms and similar. Though you can and should see a doctor as soon as possible to have these conditions evaluated, they do not pose a long-term threat to your health.

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Most hospitals offer emergency care services to allow patients swift and efficient access to treatment in an emergency. Emergencies may include heart attacks, stroke, severe bleeding and other conditions that threaten life or limb. Emergency care is usually offered on a walk-in basis through a...